Well friends in ottawa told me that oxford started construction on constitution phase 3 before they announced it, but eveyone knew what was going on. It took them about a month before the annouced they started constuction.

Your right Ed, Concourse is more than half leased. Here is a link to Oxford leasing info for the building. Oxfordproperties Leasing. Based on the stacking plan, the top two floors are available. Would make a great place for an office, if you didn't mind not having access to modern amenities, like phones, running water and electricty.

I still think that the demolition is for the start of the R/A Galleria. Not the tower.

but the galleria would be the last thing to be built because you want as much space as possible to be available for construction staging, especially in the core. i can't see them putting in a shiny new glass pavillion shortly prior to getting into some massive demolition work

edit:

V of E: do you mean this project is definitely an eventual "go", or do you mean that it is going right now?

I like it a lot. They are saving the only parts worth saving, and adding a good building to boot. Though I'll miss the donairs.

Either you work for WZMH, or you have hack taste, or both...

Anyhoo, I'm not sure if I saw right, but it appeared as if they were *reinstating* the terracotta atop the SE corner today. But the spandrel "mountains" on the E side are still (momentarily?) missing...